Washing machine



Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,259

s. SEDITA WASHING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fww val-Zorn e gs Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,259 s. SEDITA WASHING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 2, 1928.

5. SED ITA WASHING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,259

5. SEDITA WASHING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE SALVATORE SEDITA, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WASHING MAGHIN E.

I Application filed July 12, 1927. Serial No. 205,139.

This invention relates to a washing machine which is more particularly designed for domestic use in washing clothes and the like.

It is the object of this invention to provide a machine of this character which permits of performing the operations of washing the clothes, wringing out the excess moisture therein after the washing operation and then drying the same by means of an air current while the clothes remain in the same machine, thereby simplifying the operating of cleaning clothes and reducing the amount of labor which otherwise would be necessary for repeatedly handling the same.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of a washing machine embodying an improved form of my invention, the parts being shown in a position in which the same perform the operation of washing clothes and the like and also showing the clothes lifter in its elevated position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View simllar to Fig. 1 but showing the clothes lIfter in its depressed position.

Figure is a top plan view of the machine.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are horizontal sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 1.

Figures 7 and S are fragmentary views s milar to Fig. 6 but showfng the parts in different positions.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but showing the parts in the position which they occupy when the machine is used for wr ngingor squeezing the bulk of the moisture or water out of the clothes preparatory to air drylng the same.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 10-10 Fig. 2.

I Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 9 but showing the parts organ'zed for air-drying the clothes after the free water or moisture has been pressed out of the same.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 12 12 Fig. 11.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the draining cock on the water tub or tank whereby the water may be emptied from the tub when desired.

Similar characters of reference indicate of the wall.

legs which are united at their upper ends to a central block 21 and-form therewith the mainparts of the frame which support the work ng elements of the machine. On top of this frame is mounted a tub or tank which is adapted to contain the clothes or other materials which have to be washed, this tub in 1ts preferred form consisting of a bottom 22 secured to the top of the frame and an upright cylindrical wall 23 extending upwardly from the bottom and a cover 24 Which is removably seated on the upper edge Within the lower part of the tub 1s arranged a vertically movable lifter 25 which preferably has the form of a liftmg disk which is provided with a plurality of perforations 26. Vertical motion may be lmparted to this lifting disk by various means, those shown in the drawings being satisfactory and consisting of an upr ght lifting or shifting rod 27 which is preferably hollow for a purpose which is presently to appear and which extends through the bottom of the tub and is guided in the frame block 21 in such manner that this rod can be raised and lowered but is incapable of turn ng, this being preferably accomplished by making this rod square in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5, and engaging the same with an opening 28 of corresponding form in the guide block 21. The lifting disk 25 is secured to the upperpart of this lifting rod in any suitable manner and the raising and lowering of the same is effected by means which include two crank wheels 29 arranged on opposite sides of the lower part of the lifting rod and each provided with a crank 30, and a pitman .31 connecting each crank pin 30 with a cross-piece 32 on the lower end of the lifting rod. Upon rotating the crank wheels 29 the crank connection ofthe same with the lifting rod will cause the latter to rise and fall and thereby raise and lower the lifting disk 25 in the tub, together with any clothes or other material resting thereon. The two crank wheels 29 are preferably constructed in the form of gear wheels and the same are caused to turn in unison by means of two driving pinions 33 meshing therewith and mounted on a countershaft 34 which is journaled horizontally on the lower part of the main frame vertically in line with the axis of the lifting rod 27.

-Although motion for operating the shaft 34 maybe derived from any suitable prime mover it is preferable to employ for this purpose a water motor, the casing 35 of which is mounted on the main frame and receives water under pressure through a supply pipe 36, which water is directed against rotary blades 37 within the casing for the purpose of turning the driving shaft 38 of this motor. Motion in the present case may be transmitted from thi motor to the driven shaft 34 by an intermediate transmission mechanism of any suitable construction,

which transmission mechanism however preferably comprises an intermediate shaft 39 journaled in suitable bearings on the main frame, a belt 40 passing around driving and driven pulleys 4142 on the motor shaft 38 and the intermediate shaft 39, a belt 43 assing around pulleys 44 and 45 on the sha ts 39 and 34, and a clutch for connecting and disconnectin the pulleys 42, 44 and consisting of a clutc jaw 46 arranged on the pulley 42 and a clutch jaw 47 splined on the shaft 39 and movable into and out of engagement with the clutch jaw 46 by means of a shi per rod 48 extending to the side of the mac me where the same is.conveniently accessible to the operator of the machine, as

best shown in Fig.6. By means of this organization the motor may be coupled with or uncoupled from the driven shaft 34 for operating the parts connected with the lat-. ter or arresting the operation of the same to suit the particular function which the machine is to perform.

The tub or tank is adapted to be filled about one-third full of water and the clothes 49 or other articles to be washed are placed on top the lifting disk so that when the latter is raised and lowered by means of the crank mechanism these articles are soused in the water so that the dirt therein is loosened and removed therefrom by the water. This soiled water after the operation of cleaning has been completed may be removed from the tub by means of a drain cock 50 arranged on the side wall of the tank at the lower end thereof, as shown in Fig. 13.

After the articles to be washed are raised and lowered the upper side of the mass of articles is pressed against the underside of a head 51 arranged in the upper part of the tub, so that these articles are subjected to a squeezing operation. In the pre erred' construction this head which serves as an abutment is yieldingly supported so as to adapt the same to variations in the mass of articles which are to be washed, and this head is also oscillated about a vertical axis so that a rubbing effect is exerted upon the articles and the same are also tumbled about more or less so that all parts of the mass of articles are sub'ected to the cleaning operation'of the mac ine. In the preferred construction this up er head 51 has the form of a horizontal d 1s and the same is provided at its margln edge with an upwardly extending flange 52 arranged close to the wall of the' tically when subjected to'the upward pres,-

sure of the lifting disk 25 through the medium ofa mass of articles arranged between the same. i

The preferred means for thus mounting the head on the rock shaft which is shown in the drawings consist of a horizo tal supporting disk 55 arranged within th flange 52 of the head and provided at its center with a square opening 56 which en ages with the square upper end 57 of the roc shaft 54, a cotter pin 58 passing through the square end of this shaft above the supporting disk 55, a plurality of upright coupling bolts 59 connected at their lower ends with the rubbing disk 51 and passing at their upper ends through the supporting disk 55 and a lurality of cushion springs 60 each of w ich surrounds one of the coupling bolts 59 and is interposed between the rubbing head 51 and the supporting disk 55, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 9. I

After the lifting disk 25 is. raised, the

articles 49 to be washed are pressed against the underside of the rubbing head 51 and when this pressure exceeds the tension of the spring 60 the latter yield as much as is necessary in order .to prevent the machine from becoming bound or any of its partsbroken, and thereby permitting the machine to automatically adapt itself to bundles or masses of articles to be washed which may vary in size, without altering the effectiveness in the cleaning operation.

The rocking motion of the shaft 54 together with the rubbing head 51 is preferably effected by the mechanism which is shown in the drawings and which consists of two horn-shaped rock arms 61, 62 arranged on diametrically opposite. sides of the lower end of the rock shaft 54, and two horn-shaped tappets 63, 64 arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the driven shaft 34and adapted to engage alternately with the rock arms 61, 62. As shown in Fig. 6, the tappet 63 has shifted the rock arm 61 as far as possible and is about to Clearthe same, whereby the turning movement of the rock shaft 54 in this direction is arrested.

- As the driven shaft 34 continues its rotav therewith, this reversely turning operation in Fig. 8.

being shown in nearly its completed form in Fig. 7and in its entirely completed form The parts are now in position to be again rocked in the reverse direction by engagement with the tappet- 63 with the companion rock arm 61. This mechanism results in converting the rotary motion of the driven shaft 34 into an oscillating motion of the rock shaft 54 so that this rocking action will extend through 180 degrees, thereby causing the rubbing head 51 to operate very effectively by means of its cleats 53 on all the articles which are placed in the machine. Y

Inasmuch as the driven shaft 34 is op,- eratively connected with the crank mechanism which reciprocates the lifting disk 25 vertically and also the tappet mechanism which produces an oscillating movement of the rubbing head 51, it follows that the operations of raising and lowering the mass of articles and also horizontally rubbing or agitating the same takes place simultaneous- 1y, thereby subjecting the articles to avery effective cleaning operation. It will also be evident that by reason of this organization theope'ning and closing of the clutch jaws 46 and 47 will cause this vertical agitating and horizontal rubbing action to start and stop in unison.

After a batch of clothes or other articles have been thus washed a sufficient length of time to remove the dirt therefrom the mass of articles is lifted bodily out of the water and pressed against the underside of the rubbing head so as to squeeze out the excess or free water contained therein, this operation taking place while the clutch 46, 47 is open and the disk 25 and the rubbing head 51 are not subjected to the effects of any power mechanism. This operation of wringing out or removing the free moisture from the articles is preferably effected by manually actuated means and in their preferred construction these means are constructed as follows.

Arranged on opposite sides of the tank are two lifting yokes each of which is preferably constructed in the form of a letter U and provided with inner and outer legs 65, 66 which straddle the wall of the tub and are guided thereon by means of a loop 67 arranged on the outer side of this wall and embracingthe outer leg 66, a, foot 68 arranged at the lower edge of each inner leg and adapted to engage with the underside of the adjacent part of the lifting disk 25, a gear rack 69 arranged on the outer leg 66 of each lifting yoke, a gear pinion 70 meshing with each of these gear racks, a horizontal shaft 71 journaled in suitable hearings on the underside of the tub and carrying the gear pinions 70 and provided at one end with a square surface 72 which isadapted to receive a hand crank 73, and a detent pawl or disk 74 mounted on the wall of the tub and adapted to engage with the adjacent lifting pinion 70 for preventing turning of the same in the direction which permits of lowering the lifting yokes.

During the washing operation the lifting yokes are arranged in their lowermost position in which the lifting feet 68 are arranged sufliciently far below the underside of the lifting disk 25 so that the latter is free to rise and fall for effecting the washing operation without interfering with the lifting feet, the latter being shown in this lowermost or inoperative position in Figs. 1 and 2. \Vhen it is desired to wring or squeeze the excess waterout of the clothes or other articles the shaft 71 is turned by means of a hand crank 73 in the proper direction for causing the lifting feet 68 to en gage the underside of the lifting disk 25 and raise the latter together with the mass of material thereon out of the water and press the same firmly against the underside of the rubbing disk 51, as shown in Fig.

9, whereby the water is squeezed out of the articles and caused to run back into the lowenpart of the'tank or tub. The lifting disk together with the yokes may be held Inn in this elevated position by engaging the detentpawl 74 with one of the lifting pins 70, as shown in Fig. 10; While elevating the lifting disk at this time the same is moved independently of the power driven mechanism which agitates the same vertically during the cleaning operation. In order to permit of this the lifting disk is connected with the hollow lifting shaft 71 in such manner that these parts are compelled to turn together but the lifting disk is free to move vertically independently of the lifting rod 27. This is preferably accomplished by providing the central part of the lifting disk with a square opening 75 which receives the square upper part of the hollow shaft 27, as shown in Fig. 5. The downward movement of the lifting disk 25 on the lifting rod 27 is however limited by means of a stop collar 7 6 on this rod which is adapted to engage with the underside of this disk for raising the latter, as shown in Fig. 1.

After the excess water has been wrung out of the mass of-articles in the manner described and the latterare in a damp condition the same are now subjected to means which supply air under pressure so that the articles are aerated and the drying of the same is completed. In order to do this the rubbing head 51 is first removed from the upper end of the rock shaft 54 which can be readily done after taking off the cover and withdrawing the cotter pin 58.- After such removal of the rubbing disk the cover is again restored thereby forming a free space within the upper part of the tub in which the mass of material which has been washed is free to expand while being subjected to streams of air under pressure for drying the same, as shown in Fig. 11. This air is delivered against the underside of the mass of clot-hes, preferably on opposite sides of the center of the axis of rotation by means of two delivery nozzles 77 mounted on the-underside of the lifting disk 25 and each provided at its upper end with an air outlet 78 which delivers the air under pressure against the underside of the mass of articles. Each of these air delivery nozzles 7 7 has an inlet 79 which is adapted to register with the outlet 80 of an air supply pipe or conduit 81, which outlet 80 is so located on the wall 22 of the tub that .when the lifting disk 25 has been raised to its highest position by the manually operated wringing mechanism then this air outlet 80 of the supply conduit- 81 will register with the air inlet 7 9 of the respective nozzle, as shown in Fig. 12. For the purpose of obtaining an effective joint between the air supply pipe and-the delivery nozzle 9. coupling tube 82 is employed which is slidably mounted in the outlet 80 and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the inlet of the respective delivery nozzle 77. As shown by full lines in Fig. 12 this coupling tube is pushed inwardly so as to connect the air supply pipe 81 with the nozzle 77 this being the posit-ion of the parts when the machineis used for drying the clothes by means of air currents.- lVhen however, the machine is being used for washing and wringing them the coualing tube 82 is withdrawn from the nozzle 7 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12 so that the lifting disk 25 is free to rise and fall independently of the air supply mechanism.

The air for thus drying the clothes is supplied by means of a blower, the casing .83 of which is connected by means of a main pipe 84 wit-h the two distributing conduits 81 leading to the respective delivery nozzle 77. This blower case is mounted on a suitable part of the main frame and the shaft 85 of its air impeller is rotated by means of a belt 86 passing around pulleys 87 and 88 arranged respectively on the shafts 39 and 85. The pulley 87 may be connected with and disconnected from the shaft 39 by a clutch which may consist of a driven clutch jaw 89 arranged on the driving pulley 87 a driving clutch jaw 90 splined on the shaft 39, and a shipper rod '91 which is operatively connected with the splined clutch jaw 90 and extends to the side of the machine where the operator may conveniently manipulate the arts for opening and closing the clutch aws 89, 90 as desired.

In the operation of this machine the air pressure supplying means are rendered inoperative while the washing and wringing operations are in use, and vice-versa, this being possible by proper manipulation of the clutch jaws 46 and 47 which control the washing and wringing mechanism and the clutch jaws 89, 90 which control the drying mechanism.

During the washing operation each of the air delivery nozzles 77 becomes filled with water and it is therefore necessary or at least desirable to permit thiswater to drain out each of these nozzles before beginning the operation. This is preferably accomplished by means of an air pressure controlled check valve which in the present case consists of a valve gate 92 pivoted at its upper end by a hinge 93 to the top of the nozzle 77 so that the same is free to swing toward and from a drain opening 94 in the nozzle, and a spring 95 connecting this valve gate with the nozzle so as to hold the same yieldingly in its open position during the washing and wringing operation as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12. When thus open, this check valve 92 permits the waterto freely enter each nozzle 77 and escape therefrom and when the nozzles are raised together with the lifting disk 25 for the purpose of wringing out the water from the articles which are being washed, then the outlet opening 94 will be open so as to permit the air nozzle 77 to be emptied of any water which may be therein. When, however, the air pressure from the blower is delivered into the nozzle 77 this pressure operates to closethe valve gates 92 by overcoming the resistance of the springs 95 so that thereafter all the air supplied by the blower will be directed against the underside of the mass of clothes or other articles and thereby utilize the same most effectively for drying these articles. The air under pressure is delivered in this manner against the underside of the mass of articles a sufficient length of time to cause the air to thoroughly permeate the entire mass and completely dry the same and thus avoid the necessity of hanging the clothes out on a line for this purpose. These dried articles may then be removed by taking off the cover 24. In order to permit the moisture-laden air to escape from the tub, the central part of the cover is provided with air escape openings 96 which openings are preferably formed in the handle 27 of the cover which extends over an air outlet tube 98 in the center of the cover.

For convenience in manipulating the rubbing disk 51 and associated parts the central part of the supporting disk is provided with a handle 99 which is preferably foldable so that the same can be turned down against the top of the supporting disk 55, as showif in Figs. 1 and 4, and therefore be out of the wa when not in use.

ft will now be apparent that this machine permits of easily and conveniently performing the operations ofwashlng, rinsing and wringing a mass of articles and then subsequently drying the same in the machine so that the articles to be Washed only require one insertion in the machine and one removal thereby facilitating this work and minimizing the labor connected therewith.

I claim as my invent1on:

1. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a vertically reciprocating hfter arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to raise and lower the clothes, a head which is arranged in the upper part of the tub and against which the clothes are adapted to be pressed by the lifter, and means for oscillating said head about a vertical axis including an upright rock shaft connected at its upper end with said head and provided at its lower end with two rock arms projecting from diametrically opposite sides thereof, and a rotary shaft arranged horizontally below said upright shaft and provided on its diametrically opposite sides with tappets adapted to engage alternately with the rock arms of said upright shaft.

2. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted -to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a vertically reciprocatmg lifter arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to raise and lower the clothes, a head which is arranged in the upper part of the tub and against which-the clothes are adapted to be pressed by the lifter, means for actuating said lifter includinga hollow upright lifting rod connected at its upper end with said lifter and slidable vertically in the bottom of said tub but held against turning therein, and means for actuating said head includin an upright rock shaft arranged in said ho llow lifting rod and connected at its upper end with said head.

3. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a vertically reciprocatlng 11fting disk arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to raise the clothes, a rubbing head against which the clothes are pressed by said lifting disk and which oscillates about a vertical axis, and means for raising said lifting disk to raise the clothes out of the water and press them agalnst the rubbing head after the washing operation, including a U-shaped lifting yoke the legs of which straddle the wall of the tub, a foot arranged on the inner leg of said yoke and adapted to engage the underside of said 11fting disk, a gear rack arranged on the outer leg of said yoke and a with said rack.

4. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a vertically reciprocating lifting disk arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to raise the clothes, a rubbing head against which the clothes are pressed by said lifting disk and which oscillates about a vertical axis, and means for raisin said lifting disk to raise the clothes out of the water and press them against the rubbing head after the washing operation, including a U-shaped lifting yoke the legs of which straddle the wall of the tub, a foot arranged on the inner leg of said yoke and adapted to engage the underside of said lifting disk, a gear rack arranged on the outer leg of said yoke, a gear pinion meshing with said rack, a shaft carrying said gear pinions, and a detent pawl adapted to engage said gear pinion meshing pinion.

5. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a head arranged in the upper part of the tub, a lifting disk arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to press the clothes against said head, and means for delivering air against the clothes including a nozzle arranged on the lifting disk and having an upwardly directed air outlet, and means for supplying air under pressure to said nozzle.

6. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a head arranged in the upper part of the tub, a lifting disk arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to press the clothes against said head, and means for delivering air against the clothes including a nozzle arranged on the lifting disk and having an upwardly directed air outlet, means for supplying air under pressure to said nozzle including a blower casing having an outlet, and a conduit connected with said outlet and having an outlet adapted to register with said nozzle in the elevated position of the same.

7. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain water and the clothes to be washed, a head arranged in the upper part of the tub, a lifting disk arranged in the lower part of the tub and adapted to press the clothes against said head, and means for delivering air against the clothes including a nozzle arranged on the lifting disk and having an upwardly directed air outlet, means for supplying air under pressure to said nozzle including a blower casing having an outlet, a conduit connected with said outlet and having an outlet adapted to register with said nozzle in the elevated position of the same and a coupling tube for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and nozzle.

8. A washing machine comprising a tub disk and having an upwardly directed air adapted to contain water and the clothes to outlct, means. for supplying air under pres- 10 be washed, a head arranged in the upper sure to said nozzle, and a check valve for part of the tub, a lifting disk arranged in permitting water to escape from said nozzle 5 the lower part of the tub and adapted to but closing under air pressure.

press the clothes against said head, and In testimony whereof I hereby affix my means for delivering air against the clothes signature. including a nozzle arranged on the lifting SALVATORE SEDITA. 

